From a young age as a kid to her time in high school, Kalie Robinson always has been good at softball.

Robinson even started on varsity her freshman year with the Orioles under former coach Ray Aguirre.

Aguirre, now the pitching coach and assistant for the Friends University softball team, said she'll soon be competing for a starting position as a freshman in college next year. Robinson will join her former coach at Friends as she signed a letter of intent Thursday to play for the Falcons.

"It's awesome. All my hard work has paid off," Robinson said. "Going to college, it'll be something new, a step higher, but I feel confident."

Robinson has earned All-State honors as an outfielder and plays centerfield this season for the Orioles. Aguirre said that the Falcons will lose five outfielders to graduation, so Robinson will have plenty of opportunity to earn a spot on the field right away.

"She can play all three spots. She does a very, very good job of reading the ball," Friends head coach Tony Segovia said of Robinson.

Robinson had chances to play for just about every junior college around, but after she visited Friends, she knew that's where she wanted to go.

"I just connected when I went there," Robinson said.

Robinson isn't the only Oriole who will be on the Falcons roster. Friends has two current players who are former Orioles, including freshman Christina Downs, a former teammate of Robinson's who graduated AHS in 2012.

"It's a blessing, because I already know what she can do," Aguirre said of bringing in Robinson. "Recruiting is one thing I get to do at this school now. I know what kind of kids are here (in Augusta), and as many as I can get, I will take."

"That makes it even more comforting because I know what he expects and how he coaches. There's no dramatic change," Robinson said about Aguirre.

Last season, Robinson was second on the team with a .394 batting average (Downs had a .395 average), second in RBIs (15) and second in slugging (.515). She had a .972 fielding percentage.

Robinson has gotten off to a hot start in 2013. She is 4-for-9 with five RBIs and six walks through the first four games of the season for Augusta (4-0).

"Ray was always talking about her, so we've watched her since she's been with the [Augusta] program," Segovia said. "She's a good kid, good attitude, very athletic. She does well in the classroom, too."

Robinson likely will focus her studies on the medical field or forensic science.